Well elevator



June 11, 1929; J. GRANT 1.516.885

WELL ELEVATOR Filed April 13, 1922 Patented June 11 1929.

UNITED STATES v p 1,716,885 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GRANT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO BYRON JACKSON PUMP ('30., OF WEST BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORA-TION OF DELAWARE.

WELL ELEVATOR.

Application filed April 13, 1922. Serial No. 552,264.

This invention relates to means for lifting and lowering tools andmaterials in wells, and for handling and operating the same generally,such as tongs, wrenches, elevators, clamps and other devices for pipe,casing, polished rods, tubing and other objects, articlcs andmechanisms.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device that can besecurely attached to a string of tools or casing.

Another object is to provide an elevator that can be used for supportingproportionally small tools and pipes on the open top end of relativelylarge casing.

Another object is to provide a relatively large supporting base for anelevator of this t pe.

Another object is to provide latch members operative by the action ofresting or lifting the elevator in relation to the top end of the wellcasing.

Another object is to provide latch members that will normally close byreason of balance.

Another object is to provide a locking lever on the door of the elevatoror other device that can be used for opening the door.

Other objects will appear from the following description as well as fromthe accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a erspective illustrationof an elevator embo ying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on approximately line 22 of Fig. 1 of thedoor of the elevator, illustrating the relative position of the lockingmeans between the door portion and the main body portion of theelevator.

F ig.'3 is a front elevation of a slightly modified form of latch memberfor the attaching links of the elevator, a portion of the main body ofthe elevator being shown in vertical midsectional View, with a linkmember in engagement in the hook end of the body.

The main body 4.- of the elevator, illustrated in Fig. 1, is providedwith an inner or engaging face 5 of a size and shape to easily engageover the tool or article for which it is intended.

Devices of this type are in general used for lifting and handlingworking tools, rotarly ipe, and other heavy articles, used in we 1drilling, operating and pumping wells, and the use of the invention inan elevator is only one of many uses that may be made thereof.

In lifting working tools from the well, or in lowering the tools intothe well, it is of great importance that an elevator can be applied tothe tools so as to securely hold the tools. A string of tools ispreferably smooth in order to avoid a catching of the tools when beingpassed through the wellcasing. Such smooth outside of the tools,however, offers little or no means for attaching an elevator. Thousandsof feet of tools, on the other hand, represent a tremendous weight. Itis therefore obvious, in order to be practical, such an elevator mustembody strong clamping means for securely engaging a string of toolswherever for a moment a secure grip is desired.

An elevator of this type must furthermore be designed so as to make itapplicable without unnecessary loss of time.

Certain features of this invention are the Slll)]6CtS of a divisionalapplication Serial No. 636,101, filed by me May 2, 1923. The main body 4is provided with an openmg m one side, indicated between the points 6and 7, of a size that a string of tools, or other similar articles forwhich the device is designed, can easily be disposed in the hollow ofthe main body 4. This opening is normally closed by the door 8. The dooris permanently engaged at one end with the main body, as indicated at 9,for a swinging movement in relation to the body, so as to have body anddoor in suitable relative engagement for quick and convenient handling,though, of course, it is not impossible to make the pin in thisengagement removable or exchangeable.

A yoke 10 encircles the opposite end of the main body, being pivotallyengaged. in the rear side of the main body, as indicated at 11, andbeing large enough to engage over the free end of the door. Theengagement over the rear of the body is made to provide a strong andstable engagement between the body and door, on the one hand, and toprovide as large a radius as possible for the swinging movement of theyoke, on the other hand.

A locking lever 12 is pivotally engaged with the free end of the door,as indicated at 13. This lever is provided with on aging means 14 andcam-means 15. The hoo -portions 14 are designed so that the yoke 10 mayeasily be swung into engagement with the hook-means of the lockinglever, serving to engage with the main body for forcing the door intoits closing position. The locking and engaging end of the lever 12appears in top plan view in the illustration of Fig. 2, from which itwill be noticed that the bore 16 in the engaging end 17 of the lever 12is suitably larger, in order to allow free movement of the lever inrelation to the door and to the body 4. The normally upright portion 18of the yoke 10, however, forms a practically stationary fulcrum aboutwhich the lever swivels or swings when engaged for closing and lockingthe door in relation to the body 4. A bolt is pivotally engaged to thecommon pivot or pin of the door and body, as indicated at 9. The boltcomprises the pivot and socket-end 19, the screw-end 20, and the head21. The screw-end screws into the socket-end 19. A washer 22 is insertedbetween the head 21 and the lever 12, of a shape to engage with theconcave face 23 in the lever. Head and washer are of a size that theywill properly engage with the lever at the point where the concave faceis provided, but will easily disengage from the lever between the twoarms 24 of the lever, since the bolt mechanism is designed so that theycan swing close to the door to allow the lever to swing free towards theleft.

When the lever 12 is so disengaged from the bolt, the lever is free toswing to the left to such an extent as to disengage the engaging members14 from the yoke 10, the yoke being then free to swing to the left tofree the door. The lever may be moved to the left until the engagingmembers or hooks 14 touch the front edge 25 of the body, when, oncontinuing the movement in that direction, the door may be forced openby a wedging action of the lever between the edge 25 and the pin 13, seeFig. 2. I

For closing the device, the yoke 10 is first engaged with the hooks 14of the lever, and the lever is then moved in the opposite directiontowards the door. The cam-portion 15 of the lever 12 is designed totouch the door, so that, on further pressing or moving of the lever inthis direction, the door is wedged into the opening of the body forclosing the elevator. The upright portion 18 of the yoke beingpractically a stationary fulcrum on the body 4, as described above, thedoor is forced into closing position by, the wedging action of the cam15 between the stationary fulcrum 18 and the door. This wedging actioncan be increased by engaging the bolt with the lever 12 as describedabove, and by turning to force the lever towards the pin or pivot 9.

These closing and opening actions can be accomplished very easily andwithout much toss of time, since the screw is only to be operated for ashort distance, the head easily slipping through the space between thetwo arm-portions of the lever as described above to permit opening ofthe door.

The body 4: of the elevator is preferably provided with open hook-likemembers 26 to engage with the links 27 and with a rela tively large baseplate or member 28.

The lever 12, bolt device 19, etc., and yoke 10, and attendant featuresall serve to positively grip and hold the casing or other work.

The large base member 28 is provided for the purpose of eliminating theuse of catching or supporting tongs, or forks, or slips, otherwisenecessary with this type of device.

Well casings are often of relatively large inner diameter. The Workingtools, or drillpipes, or other similar articles, operated within thecasing, however, are normally of diflerent standard sizes of casings,and of relatively small outside measurement. The main portions of anelevator of this type are therefore eventually so small that the wholeelevator might fall in. to the casing. The forks, tongs, and slips,above referred to, are therefore normally used to catch the elevatorabove the upper end of the large casing.

Providing the small elevator with the large base member is thereforevery convenient and time-saving, without adding too much weight to sucha device.

Pawls 29 are provided pivotally engaged at 30 to the elevator one ateach side, having weight-members 31 projecting beyond the pivots 30 soas to automatically obstruct the open hook-like ends 26 of the elevatorfor holding the links 27 engaged with the elevator, and preventing anaccidental disengaging. Whenever the elevator is lowered to the floor,the pawls automatically move and the links can then be removed.

A slightly modified form of this pawlstructure is illustrated in Fig. 3The pawl 32 is also pivotally engaged with the baseplate 33 in thisform. The weight-portion 34 of the pawl in this form, however, is shapedto form a suitable continuation of the base, so that the base can beextended by means of the pawl. The pawl portion 32 in this form swingsinto the recess 35 in the body 4 when the device is in resting position,as indicated in dotted lines.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the general character -disclosed, a body having anopen side, a door engaged with the body for closing the open side ofvthe body, a closing yoke engaged with the body, a locking lever engagedto the door having means to engage with the yoke and having other meansfor wedging between the yoke and the door, the locking lever beingpivoted near the front edge of the door so as to wedge against the frontedge of the body for opening the door when the lever is moved away fromits closing and locking position towards the edge of the door and body.

2. In a well elevator as disclosed, the combination with a body having aclosing door and a closing member associated with the body, a lockinglever associated with the door and cooperating with the closing memberto move the door relative to the-body; the lever being provided with aprojecting portion adapted to engage with the body for moving the doorin an opening direction.

3. In a well elevator as disclosed having a body and a closing door, alever mounted upon the door and having a projecting portion adapted toengage with the body to open the door.

4. In a device of the general character disclosed, in combination with abody having a closing door and a closing member associated with thebody, a locking lever associated with the door and cooperating with theclosing member to move the door relative to the body; in combinationwith a swinging bolt device cooperating with the lever to increase theleverage action thereof.

5. In a device of the general character disclosed, in combination with abody having a closing door and a closing member as sociated with thebody, a locking lever associated with the door and cooperating with theclosing member to move the door relative to the body; in combinationwith a swinging bolt device cooperating with the lever to increase theleverage action thereof; said bolt device being associated with the doorat the zone of pivotal support, said door being pivotally connected withthe body.

6. In a well elevator, the combination with a body having a pivotedclosing door, of a closing member adapted to be swung in front of thedoor when the same is closed, a lever carried by the outer face of thedoor and adapted to engage with said closing member,

and a tensioning member carried by the body and adapted to engage saidlever to move the same into binding engagement with the door using theclosing member as a fulcrum.

7 I n a well elevator, the combination with a body having a pivotedclosing door, of a closing member carried by the body and adapted to bemoved in front of the door, a lever loosely mounted on a pivot carriedby operating with said member for wedging the door into engagement withthe work carried by the elevator.

9. In a well elevator, the combination with a door pivoted to the bodyof the elevator of a swinging yoke member ada ted to be moved in frontof the door when it is closed, a lever loosely pivoted to the door andadapted to engage said yoke, and means for enga 'ng said lever to causethe same to move 0. out the yoke as a fulcrum to wedge the door againstthe work.

10. In a well elevator, the combination with a door pivoted to the bodyof the elevator of a swinging yoke member adapted to be moved in frontof the door when it is closed,

a lever loosely pivoted to the door and adapted to engage said yoke, anda bolt device carried by the body and adapted for quick engagement andquick disengagement with said lever for forcing the same against thebody to move the door against the work.

1]. In a well elevator, the combination with a body having a pivoteddoor, of a. yoke member carried by the body and ada ted to be swung infront of the door when t e same is closed, a lever loosely pivoted tothe outer face of the door and having projections on opposite facesthereof and a recess adjacent the projection on the outer face of thelever for engaging with the yoke member, means carried by the body forengaging the lever to move the same about the yoke member as a fulcrumand to cause the projection at the inside of the lever to engage thedoor, and the said projection on the outer face of the lever when thelever is released from said last mentioned means being adapted to engagewith the body to assist in the opening action of the door.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname.

JOHN GRANT.

